Combination comb and sheath handle



Ma h 5, 1940. E. J. LUX 8 COMBINATION COME AND SHEATH HANDLE Filed April 29, 1939 INVENT OR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 5, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONIBINATION COMB AND SHEATH HANDLE Eugene J. Lux, New York, N. Y., assignor to Columbia Protektosite 00., Inc., Carlstadt, N. J a corporation of New Jersey Application April 29, 1939, Serial No. 270,752

Claims.

This invention rel-ates to combs and hasparticular reference to an improved combination comb and sheath handle.

One object of the invention is to provide a pocket comb device which shall not pick up dirt or other foreign substances nor have the teeth thereof subject to breakage when carried in the pocket.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described including a sheath and a comb, with the sheath coordinated in an improved manner with the comb so as to be adapted to constitute a handle therefor upon projection of the comb.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of the nature set forth comprising a comb and a sheath therefor having improved guide means spaced from the comb teeth for holding the comb in its projected position with the sheath forming a handle for the comb.

Another object of the invention is to construct a combination comb and sheath together with improved stop means limiting the sliding movement of the comb relative to the sheath, with the sheath forming a handle for the comb, all according to a simple, reliable, compact and inexpensive arrangement which is well adapted for quantity production.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the specification proceeds.

With the aforesaid objects in view, the invention consists in the novel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described in 35 their preferred embodiments, pointed out in the subjoined claims, and illustrated in the annexed drawing, wherein like parts are designated by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a device embodying the invention, with the comb in retracted position in the sheath.

Fig. 2 is a view in end elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view of the device with the comb in projected position and parts removed to show a stop means.

Fig. 5 is a side view of the comb in detached position.

Fig. 6 is a bottom edge view of the comb.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of a modified form of the invention showing a 55 different stop means.

Fig. 8 is an end view thereof.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view of a device according to the invention showing a different stop means.

Fig. 10 shows the device of Fig. 9 with the stop 5 means in course of being moved to operative position in assembling the comb and sheath.

The advantages of the invention as here outlined are best realized when all of its features and instrumentalities are combined in one and 10 the same structure, but, useful devices may be produced embodying less than the whole.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, that the same may be incorporated in several different con- 15 structions. The accompanying drawing, therefore, is submitted merely as showing the preferred exemplification of the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawing, I0 denotes a device embodying the invention. The same 20 may include a hair comb II and a sheath i2 therefor. The latter may be of thin fiat tubular form desirably open at its opposite ends. More specifically, the sheath I2 may have longitudinal edge walls i3, I 3a. and side walls l4, extending '25 continuously from end to end of the sheath.

The comb ll may have the usual teeth 15, extending from a back i6. At one end of the comb is a finger piece or loop I! for causing movement of the comb.

When not in use, the comb H is fully housed in the sheath, except that the finger piece I! projects therefrom as shown in Fig. 1. In normal use, a substantial part of the comb body projects from the sheath, as shown in Fig. 4, except that a portion of the comb remains in the sheath in engagement therewith so that the sheath constitutes an extension or handle for the comb to facilitate the use thereof.

These retracted and projected positions of the '40 comb II are effected by sliding movement of the comb in the sheath I2 in the longitudinal direction through an end opening of the sheath. Since the flexibility of the comb teeth does not permit them to function as a nonbreakable guide means for the sliding action and for the rigid, reliable holding of the comb in its projected position, the invention provides a different means for this purpose.

Accordingly, the comb back 16 maycomprise a rail or track portion [8 extending substantially from end to end of the comb. Guidingly engaging the rail 18 is a tubular element [9 forming a part of the sheath and engaging the rail at the top, bottom and sides thereof, so that the iris be desired, the latter may have an end portion "20-,

is forcibly slid along the sheath, and furthermore, the track means holds the comb quite rigid in its projected position. The section 19 may be regarded as a split tube communicating with the interior of the rest of the sheath, or it may be considered as an undercut guide.

If a reenforcing securement of the comb H opposite to the finger piece ll, said end portion 26 forming an uninterrupted plate section whose bottom edge 2| may have snug guiding engagement with the bottom wall i300 of the sheath. Thus a guiding holding action to supplement that of the track means I8, i9 is afforded, especially when the comb is in projected position, and any tendency of the comb to move angularly and to become loose under stress is counteracted.

For limiting the movement of the comb between projected and retracted positions, suitable stop means may be provided. For example, the plate section 2%) may be downwardly extended so that its bottom edge ZI lies below the lower end of the teeth E5 to thus constitute the part at 2! a stop portion. The latter may be engageable with an internal upraised stop portion 22 in the sheath formed, for instance, on the bottom Wall l3a. Thus a concealed stop means 2!, 22 limits the movement of the comb toward its projecte position.

To limit the movement of the comb ll toward its retracted position, stop projections 23 may be formed at the finger piece ll at opposite sides of the comb adapted to abutan adjacent end'edge of the sheath l2. If desired, the side walls Ma of a modified sheath shown in Fig. 7 may be internally undercut as at 2 3 to receive the stops 23 so that the latter are in concealed position.

In order to prevent the comb H from accidentally moving outward from its retracted position, stop portions or projections 25 may be provided on the plate section M. are of less height than the stop portions 23, and are adapted to readily move into the sheath with fa frictional wiping contact with the side walls of the sheath when the comb is moved to projected position. a

According to FigsQQ and 10, a modified construction includes the sheath side walls Nb, and the comb, Ha having certain teeth Ifia thereof provided with stop projections at opposite sides of the comb, the adjacent ends of the sheath being offset as at 21, 28 for abutment with both stop projections simultaneously. In Fig. 10, the teeth 5c are shown resiliently deflected by the projections 26 as the same are forced into the sheath in course of assembling the comb there with. l

With the present'invention, each of the comb and sheath sections may be a one-piece structure, made, forinstance, of molded plastic; and this applies to all forms of the device, each .embodying the same broad principles and, being adapted for use and for assembling in the same I manner.

These stop portions 25 By reason of the fact that the sheath is open at both ends, the strong plate section 20 may be used as a stop at 2 I, as well as a guide,'and powerfully resists any stress tending to separate the comb from the sheath when the comb is in use.

Because of the tubular construction of the sheath it forms a rugged handle for the comb; and the track means IS, IS assures reliable mounting of the comb and avoidsbreaking of the teeth thereofj I claim: I r 1. A combination hair comb andsheath han- .dle therefor, comprising a hair comb, and an elongated sheath of flat tubular form permanently closed along its sides and longitudinal edges, said sheath consisting of relatively rigid material and being permanently fully open at its opposite ends, said comb being longitudinally slidable into and outward of the sheath through an end opening of the latter, a finger piece at one end of the comb for manual outward movement thereof, stop means limiting insertion of the comb into the sheath so that said finger piece normally projects from the sheath, and other stop means limiting withdrawal of the comb so that a substantial portion of the comb remains in the sheath, said portion of the comb and the sheath having snuginterfitting engagement with each other so that said sheath is adapted to constitute a handle for relatively rigidly holding the comb in the outward operative positionthereof.

2. A combination hair comb and sheath hanidle, comprising a hair comb having a back hav+ ing a longitudinal rail of greater width than the comb, a sheath in which said comb is longitudinally slidable into housed position in the sheath and into operative position with a substantial portion of the comb lying outside of the sheath,

said sheath having a portion having a longitudinally undercut groove to snugly slidingly re ceive said rail and having guiding engagement with the rail at the top,sides andb'ottomthereof to thus rigidly hold the comb in its operative po- .sition with the teeth of the comb being relatively i free of the sheath.

3. A combination hair comb and sheath handle therefor, comprising a hair comb, and an elongated sheath of flat tubular form permanently closed along its sides and longitudinal'edges, said I sheath. consisting of relatively rigid'material and being permanently fully open at its opposite ends, said comb being longitudinally slidable into and outward of the sheath through an end opening of the latter, a finger piece at one endof the comb for manual outward movement thereof,

stop means limiting insertion of the comb into first mentioned stop means being integral with :the comb and being a projection at a side of the comb, the second mentioned stop means including portions integral with the comb and sheath,

said sheath being slightly resiliently expansibl'e by the said projectionv on forcibly inserting the combintothe sheathso that said projection is 'passed through the sheath, said projection being at the finger piece end of the comb and being 5 adapted to abut an adjacent end of the sheath.

4. A combination hair comb and sheath handle therefor, comprising a hair comb, and an elongated sheath of fiat tubular form permanently closed along its sides and longitudinal edges, said-sheath consisting or" relatively rigid material and being permanently fully open at its opposite ends, said comb being longitudinally slidable into andoutward of the sheath through an end'opening of the latter, a finger piece at one end of the comb for manual outward movement thereof, stop means limiting insertion of the comb into the sheath so that said finger piece normally projects from the sheath, and other stop means limiting withdrawal of the comb; so that a substantial portion of the comb remains in the sheath, said portion of the comb and the sheath having snug interfitting engagement with each other so that said sheath is adapted to constitute a handle for relatively rigidly holding the comb in the outward operative position thereof, the first mentioned stop means being integral with the comb and being a projection at a side of the comb, the second mentioned stop means including portions integral with the comb and sheath, one of said portions being located at an edge of the comb and the other of said portions being a raised step Within the sheath at an edge thereof, said sheath being slightly resiliently expansible by the said projection on forcibly inserting the comb into the sheath so that said projection is passed through the sheath, said projection being at the finger piece end of the comb and being adapted to abut an adjacent end of the sheath.

5. A combination hair comb and sheath handle therefor, comprising a hair comb, and an elongated sheath of flat tubular form permanently closed along its sides and longitudinal edges, said sheath consisting of relatively rigid material and limiting withdrawal of the comb so that a substantial portion of the comb remains in the sheath, said portion of the comb and the sheath having snug interfitting engagement with each other so that said sheath is adapted to constitute a handle for relatively rigidly holding the comb in the outward operative position thereof, said comb having a back having a longitudinally extending rail of substantially greater width than the comb, said sheath having a portion having a longitudinally undercut groove to snugly slidingly receive said rail along the top, sides and bottom of the latter to thus rigidly hold the comb in its withdrawn position, and the teeth of the comb being relatively free of the sheath.

EUGENE J. LUX. 

